


Better (for me, for us)

by ShadowSelene (Shadowdianne)



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-03
Updated: 2018-08-03
Packaged: 2019-06-20 23:13:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15544290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadowdianne/pseuds/ShadowSelene
Summary: Dialog prompt: “I tell myself that it could always be worse. At this point, I don’t know if that’s a lie.”Asked by anon via tumblr





	Better (for me, for us)

“I tell myself that it could always be worse. At this point, I don’t know if that’s a lie.”

“Emma.”

Regina blinked as the wooden doors behind her closed with a thud, the echoes of those invited to the coronation still swirling around for a few moments as the blonde’s words settled in; her profile grave and somber.

The room they both were in wasn’t big, but the curtains that hung from the windows of the left side of the room were enough to cast elongated shadows that created meters and depth where it wasn’t any. Standing on the far corner of the room, still dressed in the dress she had interrupted the celebration with and the red splash of her jacket framing her silhouette, the blonde smiled shily before shrugging, apparently just realizing that she wasn’t as alone as she had probably thought she was.

“Hi.”

Regina tilted her head; she had tried to get away from the celebration, from the words repeated over and over again towards her. “Queen”. The title brought with it a strange mix of happiness and fear she hadn’t been able to shake and so, with one meaningful glance towards both Henrys while trying not to look too disappointed at the sudden disappearance of an aforementioned blonde, she had slipped away; walking through corridors that had some resemblance to the original ones from that castle that had been hers and yet had a very different twist.

She didn’t think that Emma could have done the same although, as she now eyed her, she wondered how she hadn’t thought that the younger woman could very well feel as overwhelmed as she did. Taking a step towards her, Regina glanced at what Emma had been looking at before talking; the words that had welcomed her a few moments before still awfully present between them.

At first, the silhouette of the sword hanging a few inches above her eye level didn’t faze her. It wasn’t until she came closer even when she recognized the details on it; the handle and the blade awfully familiar.

“I thought you had the sword.” She managed to say, turning towards Emma. The blonde chuckled darkly at that and shook her head. The edges of her eyes were red, tiredness etched on each new wrinkle around her mouth and, not for the last time, Regina bit down on her tongue; refusing herself to ask the questions she had been thinking about ever since she had remembered her, remembered all.

“My father asked for it a few weeks after you left. Hoo… Killian thought it was a good idea. Since I wasn’t going to use it much after all.”

Regina narrowed her eyes at the despondent tone on Emma’s voice, at the way her long fingers clawed at the sleeves of her jacket, knuckles protruding perhaps more than she remembered them doing. The blonde’s magic, however, remained inert behind her eyes; a pale shade of grey flashing for a moment before it faded.

It sickened her, Regina thought; seeing the sword on display; as if something old and rusty that didn’t have that much of a usage after all. Licking her bottom lip, she took a step closer towards it, looking at the edge of the blade, remembering a time in where Emma had picked it up; still not really believing, still too far away from the woman she was now.

“Were you talking to yourself?” She asked and the quietness that followed made her look back at the taller woman, at the way pale cheeks colored. Outside, somewhere far away from them Regina was sure the first carriages were starting to depart and she half-wondered if someone was searching for her; for the new queen. “Before.”

The thought made her shiver and waited for Emma’s reply; their silhouettes outlined on the walls next to them; some light still seeping through the half-covered windows. She could feel her magic starting to crackle beneath her fingers, a faint ozone scent filling the air around her head. Emma’s power, however, kept silent, dormant, and Regina wondered where the fire was; how deep would she need to search for it.

She didn’t ask the question twice; she already knew the answer after all; Emma had known where to find the sword; had known where to look and had thought that she was alone as she talked to it.

However, she considered as she waited, she wanted to know the answer; the reason behind those words. Wanted to hear it from Emma’s own lips.

Lips that quivered before turning into a fine line, a nod the only answer she got for a few seconds before Emma spoke. Her voice wasn’t as fragile as before, filled with something that felt closer to her magic than the actual void she seemed to be. Now, more than ever, Regina felt slightly jealous of her Roni persona, the one who would simply invite the blonde over, ask for a couple of drinks.

“I miss it. Everything.”

“No, you don’t.”

Emma chuckled again, and, for a moment, it almost seemed that she was about to rebut her. She didn’t but her posture changed yet again; the faintest crackle around her telling Regina that her magic was there, awakening.

“I missed you.”

This time, Regina’s own response fell flat on her tongue, unable to reach outside as Regina blinked, staring at Emma as she felt her own magic briefly break free from her hold; purple flames licking the air for a second before they disappeared. Emma said nothing to that but her eyes glimmered. Lips parted and a blush beginning to form on her cheeks, Regina needed to look away for a second, shiver running down her spine as she tried her hardest not to react.

“Liar.” She finally managed to get out, a weak protest that, this time, it got an answer.

“I did.”

And there were many things Regina could have said then; many questions she could have asked, many things she could have admitted like how nervous she had been less than a few hours ago; when she had turned and had looked at Snow, one simple question on her eyes.

_“Where’s Emma?”_

“I made a mistake.”

That made Regina look back at the younger woman, muscles spasming as she felt a sudden growth on the magic that floated around them; now completely unrestricted. Specks of white dancing on her eyes, Emma nodded minutely, a movement so small it could have gotten lost if it wasn’t for the way her blonde locks jumped, following it.

“I should have gone with you.”

It was Regina’s turn to scoff; the resultant smile dubious and trembling as she saw how Emma took a step closer to her. Looking at her feet, crossing her arms in front of her chest, Regina wondered if she could do a step back, away from a suddenly emboldened blonde. Ozone beginning to reach her nostrils stronger now, Regina swallowed thickly and rose her gaze just in time to see Emma stare hotly at her lips, a strange look on her eyes.

“It always could be worse.” She spoke, and Regina needed a couple of seconds to remember how all of this had started. “But I don’t want to think like that anymore.”

The sword clattered to the ground, the sound a faint one on Regina’s mind as Emma approached, magic blast leaving her skin tingling as she closed her own hands around the blonde’s shoulders, pulling her closer.

“It can be better.”


End file.
